1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to the field of electric light fixtures and more particularly concerns an improved puck type light fixture.
2. State of the Prior Art
So-called puck lights are relatively small light fixtures with a flat circular disk shape reminiscent of a hockey puck. Puck lights are primarily intended for installation in or on wood shelving and cabinets, although they can also be mounted on other surfaces.
Existing puck lights tend to operate at relatively high temperatures because the small enclosures, a few inches in diameter, do not readily dissipate heat from the high intensity halogen or other compact light sources used. Internal temperatures may reach 200 to 250° Centigrade, and electrical codes require use of special high temperature wire connected in the puck light. Such high temperature wires are a specialty item and not usually kept on hand by electrical contractors who install such fixtures. Consequently, puck light manufacturers pre-wire their puck lights with a fixed length of connecting wire which extends from the puck light housing and terminates in a pre installed electrical connector.
UL (Underwriters Laboratories), which certifies such puck light fixtures, does not permit the wiring to be cut if the fixture is sold with a connector in order to remove the connector in order to extend the wiring. Puck lights are often installed in groups where they are most conveniently wired in daisy chain arrangements. However, the factory provided wiring tends to be relatively short, e.g. four inches in length between the puck light housing and the factory installed connector, which sets a maximum spacing between adjacent puck lights of eight inches using the existing wiring. It is desirable to have greater latitude in the spacing of daisy chained puck lights.
Furthermore, UL requires that the puck light fixture allow access to the lamp element in the fixture for relamping without exposing an end user to the electrical wiring in the fixture. Existing puck lights comply with this requirement by providing a removable glass cover held over the lamp element by a spring-loaded retainer, or the like, but do not provide for access to the wiring of the puck light.
For the forgoing reasons, existing puck lights are not installed by “hardwiring” i.e. by leading conventional electrical wiring into the puck light housing and making an interior electrical connection therein for supplying power to the lamp socket of the fixture. Because existing puck lights are sold with factory prewired external power connectors they are known as “portable” fixtures and fall under a different provision of the UL Combined Standards than hard wired luminaires.
A need exists for puck type light fixtures which can be hard-wired in the field using conventional electric power cables without the limitations imposed by factory installed high temperature wiring and connectors.